Bottle carrier



July 14, 1970 G. D. CHRISTOPHER ETAL 3,52

I BOTTLE CARRIER Filed July 12. 1968 INVENTOR GARTH D. CHRISTOPHER 8 FRANK OFFENHAUSER BY W0 ORNEYS United States Patent 3,520,570 BOTTLE CARRIER Garth D. Christopher, P.O. Drawer Z, Boerne, Tex. 78006, and Frank Olienhauser, Boerne, Tex. (11115 S. Virginia, Reno, Nev. 89502) Filed July 12, 1968, Ser. No. 744,456 Int. Cl. A47j 45/07 US. Cl. 294-27 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An integrally formed metal bottle carrier of simplified design comprising an upper handle member and a lower U-shaped yoke which securely engages an annular flange on the neck of the bottle for transportation purposes. The handle member is located in a vertical plane passing through the center of the yoke, so that the weight of the bottle being carried is taken in direct line with the shoulder. The yoke, when viewed in side elevation, slants gradually upwardly away from the horizontal plane passing therethrough for secure, non-slipping engagement of the carrier with the bottle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The instant invention relates generally to bottle carriers for lifting and carrying large, glass bottles and similar vessels filled with water, chemicals, dairy products, and the like.

Description of the prior art Numerous attempts have been made to mass produce an inexpensive bottle carrier of sufiicient strength to readily lift and carry large glass bottles after such bottles have been filled with liquid without undue exertion by the person holding the bottle carrier. One example of such a bottle is the conventional five gallon bottle used for transporting, storing and dispensing drinking water; this vessel, when filled, weighs in excess of fifty pounds and is difficult to manipulate because of its thin fragile neck portion and its enlarged body portion.

For purposes of discussion, the known bottle carriers that have been used to carry such heavy vessels may be divided into two categories, namely metallic twisted wire carriers and plastic carriers of diverse and sundry configurations. The metallic wire carriers usually comprise a horizontally extending handle or bail and a bottle engaging yoke of semi-circular shape, the yoke being disposed in a horizontal plane parallel to the plane of the bail and connected thereto by a vertically extending intermediate member. Pat. No. 2,067,124, issued to C. D. Hoffman, and Pat. No. 2,559,060, issued to R. G. Zenick, are illustrative of the large number of known bottle carriers employing such a construction.

Whereas these metallic carriers have found widespread acceptance for transporting light loads, up to and including one gallon vessels filled with liquids, these carriers have proven to be less than satisfactory for transporting larger vessels with heavier loads. First, the coefiicient of friction between the metal carrier and the glass bottle is low, and thus, in the absence of any other restraining member, the glass bottle has tended to slip from the grasp of the yoke of the bottle carrier. Secondly, the twisted 3,520,570 Patented July 14, 1970 wire carriers have lacked sulficient structural integrity to transport the larger vessels.

One proposed solution to the problems of slippage and failure of the carrier has been to alter the shape of the bottle engaging yoke into a confining circular shape and to provide an interlocking member between the wire handle and the circular yoke, so that the bottle is surrounded by the yoke on all sides. Pat. No. 2,689,761, granted to A. Eberhard, is representative of a large number of patents typifying this proposed solution to the problems of slippage and failure.

Such proposed solution, however, requires great care in fabricating and seating the interlocking member to be of suflcient strength so that the fifty pound load imposed by the bottle does not pull or twist apart these thin, wirelike members. Additionally, the interlocking member has to be re-opened after carrying each load, and the continued working of the wire quickly causes metal fatigue and severely limits the life expectancy of the bottle carrier. Accordingly, this solution has not proven to be fully satisfactory.

In addition to the above-mentioned slippage and failure problems, known wire bottle carriers tend to cut or press into the hand of the person transporting the bottle for the load is distributed only over the narrow dimension of the wire handle. Manifestly, this uncomfortable cutting action is accentuated by any slippage or shifting of the bottle Within the yoke of the carrier. In light of these shortcomings, as well as the tendency of the wire carriers to rust and discolor the neck of the vessel, it is readily apparent that known wire bottle carriers fail to fulfill the structural and functional requirements for satisfactory bottle carriers for handling vessels with a capacity of five or more gallons.

Plastic bottle carriers, while obviating the rusting problem, have proven unsatisfactory in other aspects. Such plastic carriers, frequently assume the form of a circular band that engages the vessel under its annular flange, a pivotable handle, and coacting means, such as lugs or trunnions on the band and slots in the lower ends of the handle which enable the handle to be joined to the band. Pat. No. 3,093,257, Miller, and Pat. No. 3,275,366, Hidding, disclose representative plastic bottle carriers.

Known plastic carriers, however, have also failed to overcome the above described problems of bottle slippage, structural failure, and the cutting or pressing of the handle into the hand of the person holding the bottle carrier with the filled bottle. Since the plastic carrier is fabricated from two or more molded components, close tolerances and reinforced mating surfaces must be provided if the assembled carrier will have the requisite strength to support, without failure, the load of the bottle. Maintenance of close tolerance and/or reinforcement of mating surfaces in order to increase their strength raises the cost of manufacturing these carriers and limits their commercial feasibility. Additionally, these carriers cannot be easily slipped into, and out of, operative engagement with the lip on the neck of a bottle for transportation purposes, thus further limiting their acceptance.

SUMMARY Thus, with the deficiencies of the prior art structures enumerated above clearly in focus, the instant invention contemplates an inexpensive, sturdy integrally formed metallic bottle carrier enabling quick engagement with a heavy vessel, slip-free transporting of same in a plane in direct line with the users shoulder, and readily disengagement from the bottle when the transporting operation is completed. These objectives are achieved in a preferred embodiment by the provision of a curved tubular handle member, an intermediate segment depending therefrom and terminating at its lower end in a U-shaped yoke adapted to engage the neck of a bottle just below its annular flange. The handle member, when viewed in a vertical cross-section, extends along the center line of the U-shaped yoke for the entire length thereof, and thus bisects the yoke. The yoke, when viewed in side elevation, slants upwardly at its front end.

In one alternative embodiment, an elastomer coating is applied to the yoke to increase the coefficient of fric tion between the glass bottle and the legs of the yoke. In another embodiment, the legs of the yoke receive thereon tightly fitted synthetic rubber sheaths for preventing slippage. In all of the embodiments, the handle member has a series of depressions in its underside to serve as finger grips and assist in distributing out the weight of the bottle over the hand of the user.

Other objects and advantages of the instant invention will become apparent in light of the following description of the invention when construed in connection with the accompanying sheet of drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of a bottle carrier constructed in accordance with the principles of the instant invention, such carrier shown in engagement with the annular flange on the neck of a large bottle, portions of the bottle being broken away;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bottle carrier;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the bottle carrier taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 1 and in the direction indicated;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the bottle carrier;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the lower portion of a first alternative embodiment of the bottle carrier; and

FIG. -6 is a partially exploded perspective view of the lower portion of a second alternative embodiment of the bottle carrier.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now in greater detail to the drawings, FIG. 1 depicts in side elevation, an integrally formed bottle carrier indicated generally by reference numeral 10. The yoke portion of carrier 10 is securely engaged under annular flange 12 situated on narrow neck 14 of bottle 16, the enlarged body portion 18 of the bottle being broken away for purposes of illustration. However, for reference purposes, it is noted that a typical bottle would contain five or more gallons of water and weigh fifty or more pounds. Despite this load, carrier 10, which is integrally formed such as by a metal stamping or by an aluminum casting, can be used to easily transport the heavy load of bottle 16 Without slippage.

FIG. 2 illustrates that carrier 10 comprises a handle 20 with depressed finger grips 21, a downwardly extending intermediate segment 22, and a U-shaped yoke 24. Yoke 24 includes a first leg 26, a second leg 28, and an arcuate interconnecting or bridging portion 30, which is an extension of intermediate segment 22. The forward edge of leg 26 has tapered entrance 32 and the corresponding edge of leg 28 has a similar tapered entrance 34, such tapered entrances facilitating the entry of the bottle into yoke 24.

Yoke 24 is so shaped and dimensioned that all interior surfaces of the yoke engage neck 14 of bottle 16 for increasing the area of contact between the carrier and the bottle. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, the forward ends of identical legs 26 and leg 28 slant slightly upwardly as indicated by the reference character 0. Stated in another manner, the forward ends of the legs of yoke 24 define an angle of 6 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane passed through portion 30 of the yoke. The optimum angle for angle 0 has proven to be 13 degrees, although this angle is not critical in magnitude.

Turning now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the unique spatial relationship between handle 20, segment 22 and yoke 24 is readily apparent. As seen in both of these views, a vertical plane passing through handle 20 will bisect yoke 24. This vertical relationship, when combined with the above noted angular relationship 0, insures that the weight of bottle 16 will be taken in direct line with the shoulder of the person using carrier 10. These relationships are maintained at all times even with normal movement of the body as in walking in the process of delivering a btttle.

A portion of an alternative embodiment of the integral bottle carrier is seen in perspective in FIG. 5 and is identified generally by reference numeral 36. Carrier 36 comprises a handle 38, downwardly extending intermediate segment 40, and yoke 42. Yoke 42 is identical in dimension and shape to yoke 24 described in detail above, and no further description is believed necessary. The distinguishing aspect of carrier 36 resides in the elastomer cover 44 that encases the major portion of segment 40 and all of yoke 42. Cover 44 prevents the contact of metal to glass and also provides a greater contact area. These factors combine to minmize slipping.

A portion of a second alternative embodiment of the integral bottle carrier is seen in perspective in FIG. 6 and is identified generally by reference numeral 44. Carrier 44 comprises a handle (not seen), a downwardly extending intermediate segment 46 and yoke 48. Yoke 48 is identical to yoke 24, and no further description is needed except to identify leg 50, arcuate bridging portion 52 and leg 54. A tightly fitted synthetic rubber sheath 56 is shown about to be slipped onto leg 50, while a similar sheath 58 is shown mounted upon leg 54.

Since additional modifications may be made in the basic carrier configuration without departing from the scope of the invention, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative in nature and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. An integrally formed, metallic bottle carrier for lifting and carrying bottles of the type having a narrow neck with an annular flange comprising:

(a) a handle member extending in a substantially horizontal plane,

(b) an intermediate segment depending downwardly from said handle member,

(c) an outwardly opening yoke defined at the lower end of said intermediate segment, said yoke including a pair of legs separated by a bridging portion said legs engaging under said neck flange, and said bridging portion being arcuate in shape so that the yoke can engage the bottle on all of its interior surfaces,

(d) said handle member being located in a vertical plane that bisects said yoke at the midpoint of said bridging portion, and

(e) said legs extending upwardly at their forward ends to define an angle 0 with respect to a horizontal plane passing through the lowermost point of said yoke.

2. The bottle carrier as defined in claim 1 wherein said angle 6 measures 13 degrees.

3. The bottle carrier as defined in claim 1 wherein the greater portion of said intermediate segment and all of said yoke is encased in an elastomer cover for enhancing the gripping strength of the bottle carrier.

4. The bottle carrier as defined in claim 1 further comprising a pair of sheaths, one of said sheaths being slipped onto each leg of the yoke to enhance the gripping strength of the bottle carrier.

5. The bottle carrier as defined in claim 1 wherein said legs have a tapered forward edge to facilitate the entry of a bottle thereinto.

6. The bottle carrier as defined in claim 1 wherein said handle member has a series of depressions on its underside so that the carrier can be easily grasped by the users fingers.

6 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS HARVEY C. HORNSBY, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

